This very simple, very old rhubarb custard pie recipe is the kind of no-nonsense recipe that's stood the test of time, so you know it's a good one!
There is nothing to interfere with the wonderful taste of rhubarb, and nothing more is needed. It's simply delicious all on its own.
Rhubarb season is close at hand. This morning, I peeked in the patch where it grows and was excited to see the first red bumps coming up through the soil. Rhubarb is one of the first things to wake up when winter begins to let go of its icy grip on the land.
Rhubarb can range in color from green to pink to red. The color is no indication of ripeness or sweetness like it is with other fruits. Our rhubarb is a green stem variety, not as red as others. It's every bit as tasty, though!
The stalks are the only edible part of the plant; in fact, the leaves are extremely poisonous due to high levels of oxalic acid. Never eat them.
I was intrigued by the recipe from the moment I saw it. Fruit pies, for example, peach, apple, or cherry, often have a double crust. But custard pies, like pumpkin or pecan pie, usually have a single crust. Here is a custard pie recipe with a double crust, and it's the first time I have ever seen one like it.
This rhubarb custard pie bakes at 400 degrees the whole time. The temperature produces a fully cooked custard that cuts neatly and a crisp top and bottom crust. Often, a custard pie bakes at a high temperature for a few minutes to crispen the crust, and then the oven is turned down to 350 degrees to finish baking the custard.
I was surprised there was no milk in the custard, only a small amount of water. The biggest surprise was how absolutely delicious it was. I have never had a better rhubarb pie!
Begin by chopping rhubarb into small dice to measure two cups. Pour three tablespoons of very hot water over the rhubarb and let it sit for five minutes. Drain it, but SAVE the water in a mixing bowl.
Add the sugar, eggs, and flour to the rhubarb water and whisk until there are no remaining lumps. Fold in the rhubarb and pour the mixture into the unbaked crust. DO NOT prick the lower crust.
Place the second crust on top of the fruit. Trim and flute the edges of the crust. Dip your finger in water and run it along the edges of the bottom crust before putting the top crust in place. When you do this, it helps the two crusts stick together when you flute them.
Use a small sharp knife to cut slits or a design in the crust. It allows the steam from inside the pie to escape when you do. Brush the crust with a beaten egg white with about a teaspoon of water added. This step gives the top crust a lovely golden brown, shiny appearance.
Sprinkle with sugar. I used coarse sanding sugar to give it extra sparkle and crunch. Bake for forty minutes at 400 degrees and allow the rhubarb custard pie to cool completely before serving. The pie should be kept refrigerated.
When we enjoyed this lovely pie with our visiting friends, I warmed each piece of our rhubarb custard pie in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each plate. Absolutely yummy!
We love pie! I've often said, you can have your cake and it too; just give me some pie! Here are a couple of my husband's favorite pies! Old-fashioned Coconut Cream Pie and Lemon Meringue Pie!
This is a recipe for a lovely old-fashioned double-crust rhubarb custard pie.
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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Can you use almond flour & Stevia instead of flour & sugar?
I'd have to research a pie crust made with almond flour but I'm sure Stevia would work. Sorry, I'm not very well-informed about alternative flours, especially in pastry. Wanda, if you're an internet user, there appear to be several glutne free pie crust recipes.
I have rhubarb in the freezer, can I use the liquid from thawing it out, how much liquid?
If i were making this recipe with frozen rhuabrb, I would thaw and drain the rhubarb and save about 1/4 cup of liquid for the custard. I haven't tried it but it should work. I'll try the pie again with the last batch of frozen rhubarb in my freezer and respond.
I made this for my parents, I have not tasted it because I took the whole pie to them. They said it was very good however that it could use more thickening agent in it. Has anyone else experienced that, could I increase the flour a little bit? We're going to try it again in a few weeks but the next time with a homemade crust.
Oh gosh, how sad. I did not have this problem but I think it might be because my rhubarb is pretty skinny and has less moisture than nice fat rhubarb which is about 95% water. I did some hunting and found a couple of possible solutions. Sugar draws the moisture out of any fruit but especially rhubarb. I would encourage you to try adding an extra tablespoon or two of flour, mixing it in with the sugar.
Here are two recipes I'm going to test, hopefully soon! I hope you'll stick with me but if this is helpful, I'll let you know. They both look like they are a little slower but they will probably solve your problem!! If it works for me, I'll get back to you but I encourage you to try it because it makes a lot of sense to me!! I'll try to make a point of trying this method this week because my rhubarb is producing skinny stalks wildly!
https://www.tastingtable.com/1402580/sweet-trick-prevent-runny-filling-rhubarb-pie/
https://thebakingwizard.com/best-rhubarb-pie/
This is NOT a rhubarb custard pie. Custard pies never ever have a top crust and are ALWAYS made with milk. That's what makes them a custard pie. This is simply a rhubarb pie.
Thanks for taking time to comment.